Meth Warning Signs and Names

Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug that can be inhaled/smoked, swallowed (pill), snorted, or injected. The “high” is usually short lasting which results in uses taking repeated doses frequently, to maintain the high. Frequent use can lead to an overdose, which can have very serious effects on one’s health including: stroke, heart attack, organ problems, and ultimately death. Methamphetamine is highly addictive. Learn about the warning signs of meth use and overdose here.

Warning signs of Meth usage include general signs of addiction:

secrecy or withdrawal

loss of focus on customary activities

change in spending habits

drug paraphernalia

As for other amphetamines, meth use may be signaled by:

change of mental status such as

disorientation or confusion

agitation

euphoria

anxiety

paranoia

aggressiveness

impairment of brain function such as memory loss

reduced appetite

weight loss

insomnia

quickened breathing

non-healing sores (the street name for these are lithium scabs)

Hyperthermia (elevated body temperature) and convulsion can also occur, as can respiratory problems, heart problems, and blood pressure change, all of which can result in a life-threatening situation.

Another way to recognize use is if the person refers to the substance.

Meth Street Names

As is often the case with street names, some of those for meth are variations on some element of the substance’s chemical name, methamphetamine:

blue meth

Christmas tree meth

crystal meth

holiday meth

meth

Methlies Quik (referencing Nestle’s Quik®)

Nazimeth

Another (overlapping) set have part of the sound of the name crystal from the street name crystal meth or, in the last case, jump from Christina to nicknames for that woman’s name:

Christina

Christmas tree meth

Chrome

Cristy

Crypto

Crystal glass

Tina

Other names apply only to specific types of meth:

Smokable meth

Batu

Cristy

Hanyak

Hironpon

Hiopon

Hot Ice

Kaksonjae

L.A. glass

L.A. ice

Quartz

Super ice

Green meth (produced using Drano® crystals)

Christmas tree meth

holiday meth

Other names reference other drugs, or create potential confusion of what substance is being referred to.

Meth is potentially confused with Crack Cocaine when it is called:

Mexican crack

Motorcycle crack

po coke

poor man’s coke

redneck cocaine

working man’s cocaine

It is also important not to confuse methamphetamines with other drugs that have meth in their names:

Steroids with meth in their names

dymethzine and methatrial (injectable steroids)

methyltestosterone (an oral steroid);

Ecstasy and its “relatives”:

Ecstasy – 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine

MDA – 3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine

MDEA – 3,4-Methylenedioxy-N-Ethylamphetamine

Also, since, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the name Methedrine® is used on the street to refer either to broad amphetamines (of which methamphetamine is one, but not the only one) and also to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), there is obviously some confusion in the identification of these substances among people who use them, and care must therefore be taken in identifying what “meth use” or “Methedrine® use” actually means.